


Lady Courtesan

by Queen_Multifandom



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: A bunch of hot guys, Betrayal, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Desire, F/M, Lime, Obsession, Pursuit, Romance, Rough Kissing, Swearing, light sex scenes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-05
Updated: 2015-07-04
Packaged: 2018-03-22 16:36:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3735994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Queen_Multifandom/pseuds/Queen_Multifandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One woman, six aliases. All in the effort to snake her seductive way into the hearts of six kings, who know nothing of the woman they intend to make their queen, other than the fact that the mere thought of her touch is enough to bring them all to their knees. And they cannot discover that her body and soul are not reserved for each of them alone, lest she face the punishment of imprisonment - or worse, death.</p><p>Courtesan: "a prostitute or paramour, especially one associating with noblemen or men of wealth."</p><p>NOTE: This probably won't ever be finished, so if you are looking for a complete story then you may skip past this one</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The First to Fall

**Author's Note:**

> This is unlike anything I have ever written before, so if it's terrible please don't kill me. Images used in the creation of the cover: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/28/d9/ff/28d9ff49ceadfaedff80381f9dd80e4b.jpg  
> https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/71/eb/fb/71ebfb0ed2ced1b89259ce4437616fc6.jpg  
> https://semigeekly.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/smauggoldposter2.jpg?w=580&h=360  
> http://38.media.tumblr.com/dafef6e95d3510e1f700b664dfb410a7/tumblr_ngote5aqSG1qlqsnio3_250.gif  
> http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/37600000/Bard-the-Bowman-bard-the-bowman-37670633-736-964.jpg  
> https://33.media.tumblr.com/ca90238d63427b47810b0a08d13a974a/tumblr_mzmor99rBX1sgrflmo1_500.gif  
> http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/marvelmovies/images/5/55/Ronan_the_Accuser_2.png/revision/latest?cb=20140621232716

* * *

 

**_The Jotun Prince of Asgard, ridden with jealousy, was cunning, manipulative and intelligent. Yet even his own trickster wiles could not save him from being the first to fall victim to the Lady Courtesan..._ **

 

It was dawn. The sky was clouded in an orange hue in a harmonious fusion of violet as it collided with the blue of the horizon, which stretched out miles across the surface of the Earth. The birds had yet to awaken from their slumber, but the trees did not as they rustled and swayed in synchronization to the calm melody of the soft breeze. The people of Asgard were fast asleep, their minds flooded with dreams and nightmares of every sort while the soft early sunrise brushed against their cheeks in a comforting motion like the gentle hand of a deity. All were preoccupied with troubles and vivid thoughts deep within their sleep - all but two. The wide-paneled window of Loki Laufeyson's chambers allowed a surreal purple glow to seep through the glass and into the vast royal room, basking the Jotun Prince and his lover in a dim veil of warmth. 

The couple were tangled in golden silk-woven sheets, a passionate mass of naked limbs and pale bodies. The front of his torso was pressed comfortably against her back with his arm around her slender waist, holding her close while his face was pressed into the crown of her head, enabling him to drink in the dizzying scent of roses in her dark hair. Their eyes were open, each of them staring vacantly into the distance with thoughts of last night's act of intimacy running through their heads. He stroked the smooth arch of her hips, placing tender kisses along the trail of her exposed neck at a slower and more loving pace than the rougher and more intense way he had ravished her the night before. Soft gasps and murmurs of his name escaped her lips, tired but lacking no less desire. She shifted herself to face him, staring into his eyes of a piercing blue with the azure of her own as she traced the line of his jaw with a teasing forefinger, shooting him a seductive smirk.

"Good morning, my love." she whispered provocatively into his ear, making sure that her teeth grazed the sensitive shell of his ear just barely with each word. Loki's eyes flew shut as he moaned softly, enjoying the sensation of her nibbling on his earlobe. As soon as she started placing hot, open-mouthed kisses along his collarbone, the Prince growled impatiently and flipped her over, smashing his lips against hers. Their tongues danced in a frenzy of lust and wanton desire as they clawed and grabbed at each other hard enough to elicit groans and ignite a fiery flame of passion deep within, but not hard enough as to draw blood. Loki swiped his tongue over the hollow of her throat, continuing to pepper her collarbone with kisses all the way down to the trail between her breasts. She threw her head back, gasping in pleasure when he raked his cold palms over them, sending a shudder throughout her entire body. Positioning himself in between her, he looked at her, asking for her approval to which she responded by tugging at his ebony locks, pleasuring his scalp. She continued to do so as he made love to her, his hair like silk in her grasp. They were careful to be quiet, for it was dawn still and nobody else was awake.

They finished together, lying back onto the bed in a mess of panting and sweat. "And good morning to you, my sweet." he murmured, placing a chaste kiss to her temple. They took a moment to smile contently at each other as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind his ear before she swung her legs over the edge of the bed and got off of the comforter, shuddering slightly as her feet made contact with the cool stone floor.

Many frowned upon him for taking a mortal lover to his bed, yet there was little fuss about Jane Foster, Thor's little Earthling pet. This was probably due to the majority of Asgard not knowing about Thor's banishment, but word was always quick to spread, and Loki felt that it was unfair nonetheless because he felt that  _h_ _is_ pet was much more intelligent and desirable than Thor's. Especially since he had been named King of Asgard in the absence of Thor and Odin, who was in a deep sleep.

"Leaving so soon?" he smirked, teeth flashing white in a devilish grin. Ignoring his question with the ghost of a smile on her lips, she stood, bare from the head to the toe and walked over to the vanity across the vast room. Loki's eyes did not once leave her curved figure as she bent over to get her garments from atop the little dresser, slipping them on at a slow and torturous pace for her lover's hungry eyes. Even though the room was dark, he could just make out the curve of her hips and breasts, and the waves of her hair which fell down her shoulders and onto the small of her back. Once her chest and nether regions had been hidden from the world by a thin layer of silk, she then proceeded to slip on a beautiful, floor-length Asgardian gown of gold silk fashioned by none other than the current King himself, Loki, through magic. Being the elegant yet feisty woman she was, his lover had refused to wear a corset or anything that could potentially restrict her movement. Watching her dress made Loki wonder what he had ever done to deserve someone so lovely.   

"No one's awake, and it's still incredibly early," she said, smoothing out the creases in her dress in front of a large mirror, "we should catch the sunrise before the sun stops rising."

Loki grunted groggily, reluctant to move from his comfortable position. He moved so that he lay on his back with his hands clasped behind the back of his head, supporting it while he stared up at the decorated ceiling. She could now clearly see his toned muscles, shaped like the work of a skilled sculptor on marble. He was handsome and possessed a rare kind of charm one would only find in a man so clever. He loved the way she would glance at him with admiration and that made him never want to reveal the truth about his true heritage to her, lest she stopped looking at him that way ever again. And he could never bear to see a look of horror and disgust written across her exquisite features directed at  _him._ She could stare at Odin or Thor with as much scorn or hatred as she could muster and Loki would not bat an eye, but if the revulsion was meant for  _him -_ he shuddered to think of what he would do then. His lover had been his light as well as his distraction from the pain of discovering the reality of him being a Frost Giant; he just could not bear to lose her.

She was getting dressed, so she clearly had intentions to leave the building. "Are you asking me to go outside with you at  _this_ hour?" he groaned playfully, failing miserably to sound aggravated. "Why can't we just watch it from the balcony?"

"Because," she started, her voice rich with the thick smoothness of honey, "if you look out from a balcony, all you do is look at it at the same angle. If you're down there, you can move around, change the distance you view it at, and look up. It's a totally different experience."

He chuckled, sitting up. "Alright, you win. Darling, could you pass me my clothing from the wardrobe? I'm feeling like a nice forest green today. Maybe hints of gold here and there -"

"Can't you just 'magic' them on?"

"Actually I could, but I like it when you dress me."

She smiled at him playfully, bothering to get the desired outfit from his wardrobe before heading back to him, not once breaking eye contact. Beckoning him to stand up, she seemed to blush when Loki's manhood came into view, causing a growing smirk to appear on his face. Ignoring this, she picked up his thin vest from the bed and slowly slipped it over his head and shoulders while he cooperatively raised his arms. The woman raked her fingernails gently across his pectorals, causing him to hiss harshly as his eyelids snapped shut. His lover giggled at his reaction to her touch. "As you wish, _My King_."

To Loki's dismay, she did not continue to tease while she clothed him, but he was thankful for the chaste kiss she placed on his cheek after he was fully clothed. "Now come on, Loki." she said, taking his hand. "Let's hurry outside!"

And they did, sneaking past hallways and corridors, not having to worry about waking anyone due to Loki's magical cloaking abilities which enabled them to appear invisible to others. Once they exited the building, a warmth accompanied with an Asgardian breeze caressed their skin and weaved past their hair, soft as the fur on the paws of a small cat. They reached a fountain in the center of the royal garden and took a seat on the side of it, side by side on the polished granite. They intertwined their hands, gazing up at the sunrise which was now bursting with vibrant colors of orange, violet and gold as the sun rose. 

 

_Prince Loki had just been once again humiliated by his own brother when he had foolishly accepted Thor's challenge to a game of arm wrestling. Loki knew all too well that they were both too old to play such a silly game and was about to politely decline when Bacchus, one of Odin's subjects who mysteriously despised the less-brash prince for a reason Loki did not yet know, jeeringly remarked: "I do believe Prince Loki is much too busy with his books to participate, Your Highness." This caused a boiling annoyance and anger to stir in the very pit of his stomach. That bold bastard! Thinking himself worthy of using that tone in the presence of a prince! Loki let anger get the better of him, prompting him to make the bravest but most foolish decision._

_"I have recently finished reading twenty completed volumes of educational books on every aspect of magic, and have gone on to writing my own after having experimented with the majority of the mentioned spells. At the moment I am taking time off of my work to rest and stroll through the gardens. I have all the time in the world to participate, Bacchus." Loki said, sending a glare in the direction of the subject who looked down at the floor. Thor, of course, did not notice this exchange._

_"Well then, brother! Let us partake in this game of strength!" Thor boomed merrily, taking a seat at the table. Loki stiffly did the same, sitting opposite him. Their elbows were pressed into the tabletop as they grasped hands, staring into each other's eyes. Thor's eyes gleamed with excitement while Loki's were filled with determination and trepidation._

_"And..." said Bacchus, pausing for dramatic effect. Loki's eyes never left Thor's as he pondered whether or not he should cheat and use his magic to distract his brother from the match, but he was unprepared when the stout subject exclaimed: "Begin!"_

_In one swift movement, the back of Loki's hand was smashed harshly against the cold marble table, almost crushed beneath the weight of Thor's triumphant fist. Loki hissed in pain, glaring daggers at Bacchus, who did nothing to stifle the laughter erupting from his foul mouth. In a fit of rage, Loki waved his hand subtly beneath the table, and Bacchus's fat lips were instantly glued shut, the muscles there seemingly unable to move. The prince smiled a wicked grin at Bacchus's terrified eyes and Thor's confused expression._

_"Bacchus, my friend, are you alright?" the larger brother asked in a mixed tone of stiff yet genuine concern. Bacchus shook his head fervently, but no sound came from his lips._

_"Answer my brother's question, you fool." Loki spat, venom dripping from his icy tone. Thor looked at him, quite taken aback._

_"Now, my dear brother, there is no need to -"_

_"What's the matter, hmm?" Loki asked mockingly as he waved his hand again, paralyzing every muscle in the poor subject's body. The wielder of the Mjolnir's eyes darted between his brother and the stout man who was as still as a lifeless wall of stone, cautiously stepping forward. Loki smirked in satisfaction at the thoughts of sheer horror running through Bacchus's head, which the prince had no problem reading. By now, the poor man's face had turned beet red while his eyes bulged slightly from their sockets due to lack of oxygen intake. Loki leaned in close, terribly close to the man's face, spitting the words slowly to ensure that his breath burned the skin of Bacchus's cheek. "Has the cat got your tongue?"_

_"Loki, stop this at once." Thor said firmly, fingers brushing against the handle of the Mjolnir in a subtle warning. After one final glare filled with wicked glee, Loki released Bacchus from his hold with a wave of his hand and stalked elegantly out of the room whilst the subject gasped for air at the feet of Loki's golden-haired brother._

_Locking himself in his room, Loki thought for a moment on how he should vent out his anger this time. He made his way to Heimdall, the sentry of Asgard who stood tall and firm from the broad squareness of his shoulders down to his feet which were planted firmly onto the ground, supporting his tall stature. Heimdall's eyes trailed after the fuming prince, raising a brow as he stood confidently in front of the larger Asgardian.  
_

_"I wish to use the Bifrost."_

_The gatekeeper's eyebrows knitted together in curiosity. "What business do you have on Midgard, Prince Loki?"_

_"My mother requires a rare herb found only in the northern regions of Midgard to conduct an experiment tomorrow morning." Loki lied smoothly._

_"And what exactly is the name of this rare herb Queen Frigga requires?" inquired Heimdall further._

_Loki pursed his lips. "I'd rather not say. It's... my mother's business, not yours."_

_"And yet she has sent you to retrieve it." he countered. The sentry held the prince's gaze for a long while before giving in with a sigh. "You shall pass, but be back by nightfall."_

 

_Loki Odinson sat on a park bench in New York, next to a woman who was busily feeding pigeons with corn and uncooked rice. He hated to admit it, but keeping his eyes on the hungry avian creatures distracted him from his frustration and anger. He had disguised himself as a man with hair as white as snow and skin crinkled with age using cloaking magic. He was sitting facing a plain land of grass where a few children played under the grey clouded sky, uncaring of the possibility of the oncoming storm._

_No sooner had he sat down did he feel a cool drop of rain fall against his cheek, followed by another on his head, then one of his shoulder. Loki shrugged, he could easily use his magic to keep himself from getting soaked. Getting up from the bench, he walked over to a nearby gazebo, intending to find shelter there. None but a woman in a dress of white occupied the gazebo, sitting there with her hands folded neatly in her lap. Dark tresses cascaded down her shoulders in an orderly fashion, framing her wide and comely face. Her eyes met his stare with a smile that reached the gleam in her orbs the mystical color of the ocean, swimming with liveliness and energy._

_"Did you forget to bring an umbrella too?" she asked. Her voice rang pleasant in Loki's ears, a warm richness in her tone. Before he could open his mouth to answer, she interrupted him cheerfully. "That's okay, it makes me feel a bit better about myself. Always forgetting things!"_

_There was a long silence as he stood next to her beneath the roof of the gazebo which was decorated with vines. Only then did he find himself able to say something. "This rain is less mild than I predicted. It would seem that we are doomed to wait beneath pavilion structure." he said. He was lying of course - he could conjure an umbrella or teleport to shaded area using his magic any time he wanted._

_She laughed, generating a liberating sound. "Doomed indeed, although I don't think being trapped beneath a gazebo in the rain with such a handsome gentleman is such a bad thing. What's your name?"_

_The prince was almost taken aback by her forwardness, but instantly warmed to her smile. He flashed her a playful one. "Aren't you going to introduce yourself first?"_

_"No, actually. I've only just met you, and I'd like to know your name first."_

_"If my lady commands," he tilted his head politely, "I am Thomas. Thomas Grayhound."_

_"A strange name," she began, "for a slightly strange gentleman. Mind you, not in a bad way! It's just that - you don't seem to be from around here. Are you from England?"_

_Loki thought about what he was going to say, and after a moment, he did the thing he did best. He lied. Again. "Why, yes, I suppose I am."_

_"I'm Joanna Millerson, but you can call me Joan."_

_"A beautiful name," said Loki slyly, "for a very beautiful woman. And I rather prefer 'Joanna'. It suits your elegance."_

_She burst out laughing. "Me, 'elegant'? You must be talking to the wrong person."_

_"And yet here I am, talking to none but you, my dear Joanna." This earned a wide smile from the new Midgardian friend that he had made the day he had set out to vent out his anger regarding his humiliation, only to find something much more._

 

_Not long after they had met, Loki was quick to develop a fondness for the mortal woman which then later turned to love but a few weeks afterwards as he constantly left Asgard to visit her. Heimdall, having seen what he was up to, miraculously continued to keep Loki's secret. Loki then proceeded to bed her in her apartment, finding that she made him feel like no other Asgardian woman he had lain with before had ever done. His vision was clouded so greatly with love for her that he felt the need to tell her who he truly was, and where he was from. And he did. Joanna did not seem to believe him at first, but when he whisked her away to Asgard and introduced her to Thor and his mother and father, she had no choice but to deem what he had told her, true._

_A while after Joanna had first expressed a great interest in Loki's ability to travel between realms, the prince decided to teach her just that. The strange thing was, he didn't even hesitate to think of the consequences. Whatever his beloved Joanna desired, he willingly gave her. When Thor would say disapproving things about her, it would usually result in a heated argument between the two brothers. Even Thor Odinson found himself wondering how his brother, who had looked down on all mortals, had ended up so very devoted to one. There were many more Asgardian women who's beauty surpassed that of Lady Joanna's by far, but only she had managed capture his heart._

_There was something about this mere mortal, something that made her irresistible to Loki. Her choice of clothing, her likes and dislikes were all in his favor. Even the way she carried herself when she walked, and how she would do her hair. He was in love with how she just allowed it to fall freely down her shoulders, free from any form of restraint._

_Ultimately, Loki knew in his heart that Joanna; and Joanna alone, would be the only one for him for the rest of his immortal life. But immortal, she was not._

 

"Do you see that?" Joanna asked, pointing at an apparent burst of purple in the dawn sky. "It's beautiful."

"Yes," Loki replied, gazing lovingly at her from the side, "yes it is."

Joanna giggled. To him, it sounded like the sweet music of angels. "What, the view, or me?"

The prince turned to face her, laughing. "Must I answer that and feed your ego?"

She made a face that mocked offense. "Well, a girl's gotta get _some_ praise once in a while!"

"Do I not shower you with gifts every moment of the day?"

"Oh, shut up!"

They laughed and Loki pulled her face to his, not knowing that Fandral had woken to train nearby. Having heard the sound of their laughter, the warrior headed toward the fountain, only to be met with the sight of the prince passionately locking lips with his lover. Fandral pursed his lips into a thin line as he waited for them to finish. Joanna was the first to break apart when her eyes found his. Loki looked around, dazed and confused at why she did this. His pale cheeks flushed a light crimson when Fandral gave him a look. 

"Fandral! How lovely to see you. You're up early, are you training?" she asked confidently, ruffling loose her tousled hair. 

"Yes, Lady Joanna, I have risen from my bed at dawn to train, as I always have." Fandral said awkwardly, eyes darting rapidly between her and the prince. "I see you have, er, taken up this habit as well, though you do not appear to be training."

Joanna stood up and began to walk toward Fandral. "Well, actually, we -"

"We were, in fact, 'training'." Loki commented wickedly, snaking an arm round Joanna's waist. "Just not in the way that you are currently, Fandral."

Joan looked at Loki, shocked that he would say such a thing, although she secretly did not mind it. Loki smirked when a visible blush spread across her cheeks.

"You are lucky, Prince Loki, to have such a lovely creature by your side." Fandral stated flirtatiously, winking at Loki's lover. She giggled, causing Loki to clench his jaw in envy. It took everything in his power to stop himself from shifting into his menacing frost giant form right then and there.

"Thank you, Fandral! You don't look too bad yourself!"

The tips of Loki's fingers were tinted with an icy blue. 

Joanna noticed a cut on Fandral's hand, and her face became immediately laced with concern. She walked over and took his hand gently in hers. "When did you get this? It looks a little too deep to be ignored."

"I acquired this minor wound yesterday as I was sharpening my blade, and, well, you walked by."

The warrior and Joanna collapsed in a heap of laughter while Loki's expression turned sour with rage. He couldn't believe how rude Fandral was being to his beloved, but the worst part was that she seemed to enjoy his brash and imbecilic words. But all anger morphed into intense jealousy when his darling Joanna swiped a gentle thumb over the minor cut on Fandral's hand and looked into his eyes with what Loki could only describe as an incredibly attractive expression.

"I won't walk by you ever again if you continue to be this clumsy." she said, holding eye contact. 

Fandral smirked. "Oh no, I would hate for that to happen."

"Well, be more careful next time, alright?"

When Joanna turned to walk away, Fandral's lingering gaze did not go unnoticed by the Jotun prince. Without thinking, his eyes flashed red in anger as he allowed his skin to grow cold as he shifted into his monstrous form for a mere second, glaring daggers into the back of Fandral's skull as he continued training. No one but him, Loki Laufeyson, rightful heir of Asgard, could look at her in such a way, and he would make sure of that. 

As he proceeded to leave with Joanna, Fandral's voice brought him to a halt. "This isn't right, you know. Cavorting with a human as if Thor, your own brother, was not banished just a day before, is quite the disgrace."

Loki was overcome with a fume of rage that washed over him but did not go away afterwards. "I am King of Asgard, and I will do as I please." he snarled, "You have no right to speak to me, or Joanna, in that manner!"

Fandral let out a single humorless laugh. "You are no 'king' to me, Loki. I answer only to the Allfather and Thor." spat Fandral.

"You have no idea how many things I could do to you." Loki said, voice dipping dangerously low. "How much pain I could inflict upon your person, how I could tear you apart from the inside out. And most importantly, how many ways I could go about torturing you."

"Thor would kill you if you did so."

"You think that oaf cares about any of you? When he continued fighting on Jotunheim the only person he thought of was himself. He was banished for his own selfish actions. You call yourselves Warriors, yet you follow him blindly like lemmings ready to plunge to their deaths with their imbecile of a leader! Well, Thor is not here to lead you, as is Odin, who is in Odinsleep. It is time for you to bow down - to me."

"Never!" Fandral spat, shooting the prince a glare which Loki returned with a murderous one. The King then left with a cruel smirk plastered across his features.

 

"So, are you really gonna send the Destroyer after Thor?" Joanna asked, wrapping her arms around Loki's waist while pressing herself against his back. A smile crept onto his lips as he turned around and let his hands trail naturally to rest on her hips. He rested his forehead gently against hers, looking deep into the beautiful eyes of the woman he loved.

"Yes. I am certain that the Destroyer will be able to assassinate Thor and his minions now that the oaf has been stripped of his worth. He can no longer wield the Mjolnir."

"And what then?" Joanna asked, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"And then," cooed Loki, spinning her round as if they were waltzing, "I will continue to rule Asgard as King, and make you my beloved queen."

"But I'm human, how will -"

"I have already asked Idun to prepare one of her apples for you. You will soon be immortal and rule by my side for all eternity, my queen."

An erotic shiver ran down Joanna's spine upon the prospect of having power over an entire realm, prompting her to crash her lips against Loki's. He returned it gladly, hungrily even. He flicked his tongue across her bottom lip, asking for access to the chamber of sweet velvet that was her mouth. She granted it passionately, and their tongues danced to a megalomanian symphony of desire. A gasp escaped her lips when he trailed his hand up the side of her thigh to grab her behind firmly. Soon, his skillful hands found her breasts which were in his grasp immediately as he kneaded her tender flesh. No moan of pleasure did not manage to slip past her lips and into those of the Jotun prince.

Suddenly, an image of his frost giant form flashed across his eyes like the garish lights one would see while travelling by the Bifrost. The sight immediately made him feel so terribly unworthy of the love he was being shown by the beautiful woman in front of him whom he did not deserve. It dawned on him that she still did not know about his true heritage. Frowning slightly, he gently removed himself from her embrace.

"What's wrong, My King?" she asked, her pouting causing his heart to shatter like fragile glass in the wind. "Don't I please you?"

He shook his head, sighing helplessly. "No, my love. It is nothing like that. You please me more than you could ever know."

"Then tell me what's wrong!"

He looked away, conflicted. Images of her repulsion and disgust upon looking at his true form had already begun to run through his mind. 

"You - you know, don't you?" Joanna asked, her voice dropping down into a broken whisper. Her sudden change of tone startled and worried him. Loki spun around to see tears pricking at her eyes. Dread filled him like tea in a kettle as he cupped her cheek tenderly.

"My dear, what don't I know?"

"Please, please don't read my mind." she begged, clinging to his tunic. "I want to tell you myself."

Loki found an increasing urge to read her mind, but his intense love for her prevented him from doing so. He stayed silent, nodding wordlessly for her to speak.

Joanna took a deep breath before the truth came pouring out of her like water spilling from a dam. "You're going to be a father, Loki."

At these words, he just stood there, a look of bewilderment crossing his face. "... What?"

"I said," she repeated impatiently, "I'm pregnant."

His shoulders tensed at the thought of a smaller version of himself running around the room with Joanna playfully chasing after him, tackling him to the floor with raucous laughter. As he placed a gentle hand on her still-flat abdomen, part of him felt a great joy at the prospect of him having a child, shown by the way his heart was hammering against his ribs in elation and excitement. But then he remembered what he was - a Frost Giant. An enemy.

A monster.

He had created a half-human, half-Jotun hybrid that would be endangered and shunned for the rest of his life, just as Loki was. He had made what others would regard as a monster, and a wave of guilt washed over him, drowning him in fault.  _What had he done?_

"I'm sorry, my love." he cried, his voice breaking as sobs racked his guilt-ridden body while he held her close to his chest. "I am so, so sorry..."

She frowned. "For what, my love? I thought you'd be happy!"

"I am, but I -"

He cut himself off, realising that this was the moment that he would have to tell her what he truly was. Taking her beautiful face tenderly in both hands, he looked deep into her eyes as he spoke his next words.

"Joanna, I'm - I'm not who you think I am."

She raised an eyebrow, smirking. "What do you mean, Loki? You aren't gonna tell me your name was  _actually_ Thomas Grayhound this whole time, are you?"

"No," he stroked her cheek, "no. I'm not -  _what_ you think I am."

Joanna brought her hand to his cheek to cup his pale face, the look in her eyes desperate for him to continue. He sighed, exhaling shakily. 

"Odin is  _not_ my true father. My birth father is Laufey..." Loki kept his eyes shut tightly, not wanting to see her reaction just yet. "... King of the Frost Giants of Jotunheim."


	2. Away She Fled

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed reading the first chapter of this story! I sure did like writing that! Just so you know, I'm that kinda author who takes eons to update, so don't be expecting me to pop out chapters every two weeks in couplets or somethin', y'all know what I'm sayin'? I've made a decision to post one at the end of each month. Also, this chapter is a rather short one, as I couldn't find much time to write it. Enjoy!

Joanna froze, her features blank before they began to rapidly contort into an expression of what Loki could only describe as fear. Seeing fear in her eyes caused by him made Loki quake in dread.

"What are you saying, Loki?" she asked, tears threatening to spill from her mortified eyes; she looked as white as the winter snow. 

"I am Loki Laufeyson." the Jotun barely managed to force the words past his lips, keeping his eyes on her trembling form. "I am a frost giant. Not an Asgardian, as I had been brought up to believe." He began to slowly shift into his true form with an icy blue complexion and crimson eyes set ablaze from emotions.

Hot tears ran down her petrified face as she stared at the creature before her with wide eyes before stumbling backwards and away from his reach.

"These, f-frost giants," began Joanna shakily, "they're  **monsters** , and you're one of them?"

Every word felt like a dagger in his heart that crushed all hope building within him of ever being accepted by the people he loved. He shook his head lightly as if to protest, although he knew secretly that she was right. Loki reach out to touch her, but to his dismay, she stumbled backwards against the wall in fear, fumbling desperately for the door handle.

She covered her mouth with her hand in horror. "That means that the thing inside of me..."

"Joanna, please-"

"You stay away from me, do you understand?!" Joanna yelled, pushing him away from her person as he tried to get close. "I don't ever wanna see you again!"

With those words, she ran out of the room and into the vast Asgardian halls, paying no heed to the intricate designs and alabaster sculptures adorning the walls and staircases. Joanna made her own way across the Bifrost, forgetting that such a feat was not to be attempted by a pregnant woman who had had no experience whatsoever doing so herself. She tripped over the satin of her own violet gown and cried out when she came in contact with the hard surface of the Bifrost, clutching her swollen abdomen. Wiping way the tears brimming at her eyes from pain, she got to her feet and continued until she came face to face with Heimdall, the gatekeeper.

"Lady Joanna," said Heimdall, "you should not have crossed the Bifrost on your own, especially since you are with child. Should you have called for me sooner, I would have obligingly come to help you."

"I don't care about any of that!" she spoke through gritted teeth. "Especially not  **this**." Joanna gestured at the child growing within her with a hateful gleam in her eye. Heimdall was suddenly uncertain about letting her through. "Anyway, I need to get back to Earth."

"Midgard?" 

"Yes, Heimdall, Midgard."

"For what purpose?"

"Lok -" she stopped herself, " **the King** has told me to return to Midgard, because it's safer there."

Heimdall narrowed his eyes at the woman before him who met his suspicious gaze, unwavering. She was truly a beauty in human terms, and slowly, unwillingly, Heimdall felt himself giving in to it.

"Very well," he said stiffly, "you may pass. If it is the King's wish, it is my command."

Bowing low with a large, regal smile painting her cheeks, she walked past Heimdall and succeeded in returning to Midgard, where she planned to stay.

 

It had been ten months since she had left Asgard. She took refuge in her wealthy sister's second house while a half-human, half-Jotun child grew within her. Now, she was absolutely certain that it would be time to give birth to it sometime this week, if not sooner.

Turning on the television, she waddled over to the sofa and plopped herself down on the soft leather cushions holding a bag of potato chips. Her hunger had increased tenfold since the start of her pregnancy, and she hated it - in fact, she hated the child inside her, disregarding the fact that it was hers, and she was meant to love it. Pregnancy had made her weak, so useless. It was unplanned and had delayed her next plan of action by a few months, which was an eternity for the ambitious woman. 

Her elder sister came into the room with two yogurt parfaits in hand and a large grin on her seemingly artificial face. "Here you are, sister dearest!" she said, handing the seated woman a dessert.

"You remembered the pickles," she said, popping a slice of vegetable into her mouth and humming in content, "I do believe I have an addiction."

Her sister smiled knowingly. "As expected when one is pregnant. I used to crave a strange combination of ice cream and broccoli. Don't know what's so good about those bloody green things anyway, now that I think of it!"

Scooping up a large spoonful of yogurt, the pregnant woman stared at the white food with mild interest before devouring it whole, eyes snapping shut as the cold dessert instantly flooded her senses. After a while, she turned to her sister and said, "Isabelle?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"Is it normal...."

"What is, my dear?"

The pregnant woman hesitated before speaking slowly, "Is it normal to have -  _feelings_ , _real_ feelings, at first?"

Isabelle laughed heartily, throwing her head back in the midst of her obnoxious cackling. "You mean to say that you are truly _in_ _love_  with Loki Laufeyson? The man who still believes 'Joanna Millerson' to be your true name?"

The younger sister could not answer, and instead stared intensely at the television screen where an earnest reporter struggled with the live broadcast in the middle of a raging battle in New York. The sisters' eyes widened at the sight of a green, menacing, giant-like creature ramming into a building behind the reporter. Then the pregnant woman saw someone that made her head swim with familiarity. 

"My god! That - that's Thor Odinson! Brother of Loki!"

"Oh dear," said Isabelle gravely, "this does not bode well for you, darling sister! We are in Connecticut! If Loki finds you here, our plans to get you to another realm are ruined!"

Isabelle looked confusedly at her sister who had a crooked smile plastered across her face in a playfully evil manner. "Not necessarily," she said, devouring another large scoop of yogurt, "if I make him come to me, he will decide to take me back to Asgard where I will be able to travel through realms. Then, I shall pursue my ambitions to become just like you, sister."

Isabelle reached out to stroke the face of her younger sister gently, but not lovingly. "Maybe even better, darling."

Then the grin turned to an ugly scowl. "But I can't do  _any_ of that before this bastard is born!"

Just like that, she felt a sharp sting in her abdomen that shot through her veins like an arrow in the wind, causing her to cry out in agony as the spasms bit at her insides, sending waves and waves of pain coursing through her limbs.  

"Aaaargh! Isabelle, it hurts!" she yelled, clutching her belly as she crashed to the floor.

"It's coming." Isabelle whispered as if in wonder, her face showing no signs of panic for her writhing sister. 

"Help me, sister!"

As a clear fluid trickled onto the floor and pooled between her legs as she ventured into labor, her sister Isabelle disappeared into the bathroom and came out with two large towels and a pair of scissors. She laid out the towels on top of each other on the waxed wooden floor and gently helped her screaming sister onto them so that she laid on her back atop the green towels with her legs spread open. Isabelle used the scissors to gently snip her sister's underpants open, thankful for the fact that she had worn nothing but a loose dress atop her undergarments. Her lower half now fully bare, the pregnant woman began to push with all her might as her sister shouted words of encouragement in her face. It hurt so much - more than she had ever experienced in her entire lifetime. But this was different; the child seemed to be pushing against her spine, rough skin scraping against the walls of her fragile womb. She had never been known to half wide hips, which made the process all-the-more painful for her. It was like a rippling blade was tearing through her body at a moderate speed, tormenting her every time she pushed and each time the baby budged an inch inside of her. If she could call it a  _baby_.

Blood was all she could see pooling around her and staining the towels a horrendous reddish-brown hue. Blood was the only scent that filled her nostrils, wafting from her body and clouding her senses completely. Blood was all she could taste on her tongue, which she had accidentally bit in the midst of all the chaos. A crude, metallic taste now mingled with the tears and saliva that had found their way past her lips. 

She was helpless, and could do nothing but continue to push with all her might, forcing the baby to leave her trembling body.

 

After many hours of contractions and weakened pushing, the faint cry of a newborn child rung in the ears of its delirious mother. The exhaustion of labor had caused all color to drain from her cheeks, leaving her skin deathly pale, glistening with a glaze of sweat. The sight of her sister carrying what she knew to be her child concealed by a pale yellow blanket caught her eye.

Weakly, she said, "Let me see it."

Isabelle glanced at her, the hesitance in her eyes immediately heightening the growing dread in her stomach. " _Let me see it,_ " the child's mother said, this time with a firmer tone and ice in her glare. Slowly, Isabelle handed her sister the weeping newborn.

Having loathed the baby the entire time it grew steadily inside her, she expected to look over it when it was born and feel disgust. Yet not a single prospect of hate snaked its way into her mind when she gazed upon the creation of her and its frost giant father. What she saw the moment her eyes met the innocent ones of her child made her wonder how the thought of taking its life after it was born had ever crossed her mind.

She was beautiful.  _She,_ the one who had grown within her for so long, the one that had caused her trouble and delayed her plans. Yet there was something about the memory of sharing the same life and living as a whole that made the mother gaze upon her daughter with an emotion that was a mix of pride and... _joy?_

The child had a light blue complexion that complemented the shade of her crimson eyes. Because she was not entirely Jotun, there were no visible patterns on her skin as there were on her father's. Small tufts of raven hair could be seen crowning the small of her head like buttercups on a vast field. A few moments after the mother had made contact with the baby, it started to turn to its human form, fair-skinned and more pleasing to the human eye. She had her mother's prominent cheekbones and wide, innocent face, conflicting the burning emerald orbs she had inherited from her father.

The crying and wailing gradually softened as her mother began to sing a soothing lullaby; the first shred of kindness she had shown her since her concieval. Looking upon her daughter, tears of guilt brimmed at her blue eyes, and she held the newborn close to her breast. They paid no heed to the blood pooling around them from the birthing process, nor did they hear the sounds of Isabelle's panicked cries and how pale her sister had gotten. All the mother did was hold her child and sing to it, naive green eyes meeting blue ones. The woman leaned in close to her daughter's ear and whispered:

"Hello,  _Fanny_. I'm your mother, and I'll give you everything I have." she cooed as Fanny gently wrapped her minuscule fingers around her mother's thumb. The woman's eyes grew cold and protective when thoughts of the potential harm that could come to her daughter flooded her mind, eyes glowing with hatred.

_And I won't let **anyone** hurt you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked it! Sorry it's so short! The next chapter will be out by the start of July!


	3. Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaand I have returned with the third installment of my story. Sorry it was like four days late. Please enjoy as the second king makes his first appearance in the chapter. *winks mischievously* Also, I'm making Fanny's full name 'Frances' because I recently became aware that 'fanny' is a vulgar British slang for a woman's genitals. 'Fanny' is an affectionate nickname for her that her mother and father will use in private.

Loki strode along the streets of Connecticut, footsteps pattering against cobblestones as silent as the night in which he was basked in. His pale face glowed a sinister amber shade beneath the light emitted from the streetlamps aligned neatly along the pavement. Slick raven hair, which was nearly invisible in the dark, framed his face in a kempt fashion as he made his way down the street. He was dressed in his usual green and gold attire, scepter in hand and the adorning crystal illuminating his path with a powerful blue glow. The apartments and houses surrounding him had literally no lights on, indicating the lateness of his arrival to the little neighborhood. The watchful citrine eyes of a slender black cat followed the trail of the strange newcomer in calculating suspicion before the cat darted across the road and into the darkness.

As the Jotun prince neared House 14 of Jumpstreet, the sense that had been drawing him towards this place grew stronger and stronger. It was like a magnetic force that was dragging himself toward this sturdy brick house which looked nothing short of ordinary, and he himself was puzzled at why he had such a strong impulse to come here. He had sensed a presence similar to his own the other day, and had decided hesitantly to take some time to visit this little area on Midgard. After all, he could just use his magic to return to where he was originally. 

Loki had also been restlessly searching for Joanna, unyielding for the past ten months his love for her growing more intense as he thought of her whenever his mind wasn't just focused on defeating the Avengers and obtaining new weapons. He honestly did not understand how he had grown to love a mortal woman so intensely, and stopped for a moment to wonder if she had ever loved him as much as he always had. His mind drifted to replay the scenario when Joanna had first told him about the child. Was it even alive? Had she decided to raise it? Did it have her looks, or his mischievous eyes? All these questions plagued his mind like locusts around a fresh corpse, causing the pit of yearning in his heart to stir.

When he reached the doorstep of House 14 he hesitantly pressed the doorbell, flinching slightly at its loudness while it echoed through the night. Stepping back, he waited for someone to answer, but none came. He pressed it again, this time expecting the shrill ring of the Midgardian contraption and stepped back to wait again with growing impatience. He then heard an faint, exasperated groan from within the house and a voice that sounded strangely and frighteningly familiar to him. The flame within him was ignited once again. _Could it be?_

" _Isabelle!_ " it spoke groggily, " _could you please get the door?_ " 

It was in a different accent than what he was used to, now similar to his, but the richness in her voice was something that he could recognize anywhere. Just then, the door opened to reveal a middle-aged woman, breaking his train of thought. She had some resemblance to Joanna, and was no less beautiful. She grinned, showing two rows of pearly teeth and a warm inviting aura radiated off of her.

"It's not often that we get visitors in the night," she said, eyes trailing over his person, "and such  _handsome_ ones too! What can we do for you?"

"Well actually, I-"

"Who is it, Isabelle?" came the distant voice from within the house, interrupting him. "Whoever that is, please tell him to leave immediately, or Fanny'll wake!"

Loki was now more sure than ever that the owner of the voice was his beloved Joanna whom he had not seen in almost a year. This caused his heart to knock against his ribs, violently shaking him to the core in anticipation. 

The sound of footsteps padding down carpeted stairs could be heard, gradually getting louder as they neared the doorway. 

"Oh, for god's sake, who is -" she stopped in front of her sister, face forming into an expression of utter shock as her eyes met those of her child's father. He found himself unable to tear his eyes away from her alluring gaze, and instead found his insides swirling with mixed emotions at the sight of his beloved Joanna.

"L-Loki?" Joanna stammered. Her eyes widened immediately as Loki swooped in to hold her in a tight, shaky embrace, letting him just engulf her in his arms for what seemed like an eternity. None of them noticed Isabelle quietly slipping into the house and tip-toeing up the stairs. 

Joanna was the first to pull away, leaving Loki at a loss of warmth and comfort. But a torrent of hurling emotions hit him like a storm in a desert as he pulled her back violently against him and claimed her mouth passionately, full of hunger and yearning. His fingers found themselves entangled in her soft brown curls which felt like fine silk against his touch as they kissed and kissed, like they hadn't done so for decades. Her skin was like porcelain beneath his fingers as his hand glided under her shirt and began to glide over her breast teasingly. She reacted by smirking against his lips and leading him into the house.

 

They lay in an entanglement of pale bodies and sweat, limbs woven through the sheets in an endless twist. His marble skin pressed against the curves and dips of her figure was what he had dreamed of in the past months that they were apart.

"Joanna?"

"Yes, Loki?"

"Did you, by any chance, spend time outside of the country?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"Your accent has changed." Placing a loving kiss on her shoulder, he furrowed his brows in confusion when she flinched and shrugged him off.

"What is it, my love?"

"I kept it." she began, "I kept your bastard child, even though it would have made it  _so much easier_ for me to just get rid of it."

Loki was taken aback by her sudden coldness towards him, but his thoughts drifted to this 'child' she was speaking of. "I... was under the impression that you despised it too much to keep it. I remember when you called it a monster -"

She turned to face him, startling him with an icy glare. "I looked at Fanny through the eyes of a mother and she is  _not_ a monster. No matter what anyone says."

"I would very much like to see her..." he said carefully, anticipation building in his chest. Joanna's gaze softened as she nodded after a moment's silence.

 

Glistening tears welled up in Loki Laufeyson's eyes as he held his infant daughter, watching her skin shift to a light blue hue. Her eyes blazed red; the natural color of his own and shone a mischievous glint that mimicked her father's. He brought her close to his bare chest and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, which was cold to his touch; familiar and homely to Loki.

" _Hello, Frances._ " he cooed, cradling his daughter. "I'm your father. You look just like your beautiful mother, don't you, my dear?" Loki glanced at Joanna who stood leaning against the door frame with a smile plastered across her face. "My darling Frances..."

Fanny's plump little lips began to form a smile and then an adorable chuckle as Loki tickled her cheek tenderly, causing him to smile in return. He felt more comfortable than he had been in days, with the feud with the Avengers going on and his schemes of world domination.

"Why  _did_ you choose to keep her?" he asked, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Before Fanny was born I had never really understood the... importance of the fact that she was my own flesh and blood. I looked into her eyes - and I... I saw," her voice wavered, and fresh tears brimmed at her eyes, "you. And she reminded me, o-of how much I -"

She did not get the chance to continue as Loki's lips came crashing down on her own with a passionate gentleness that she did not even know he possessed. They were careful not to hurt Fanny who was somewhat loosely wedged between the pair as she descended into sleep in her father's arms. 

"I want you to know, Joanna, that no matter what becomes of me, my heart will always lie with you and our Fanny." After saying this, he placed Frances back in her lavish pink crib with such care; it seemed if she were a fragile piece of china. Even Loki himself hadn't realized that he was capable of such a nurturing act. 

Walking over to Joanna he grasped her hands in his and looked into her eyes. 

"Joanna," he said, "it would do me the greatest honor to have your hand in marriage."

After a pregnant pause (what seemed like an eternity for Loki) she nodded, with the same warm smile he had taken such a strange liking to. For just a moment, he rid his mind of the Avengers and his plans to enslave the Midgardian race to just embrace the only woman he truly loved and cherished more than power, while gazing upon his own flesh and blood that slept soundly in a small bed of innocence and naivety. This was what Joanna could do to him; make him forget - make him  _weak._

"I cannot wait for myself to return to Asgard as its queen, and Fanny, its princess."

Loki stopped, heart skipping a beat in worry. He was no longer king, but Joanna wasn't aware of this fact. Would she refuse his proposal if he told her the truth?

Unaware that he had stayed silent, Joanna's voice broke him out of his train of thought. "Loki? Are you alright?"

"I... am no longer King of Asgard. I haven't been since you left."

Silence. An earth-shattering silence followed that could wake the spirits of Helheim and cause Loki's heart of stone to cease beating for a frightening period of time as he braced himself for her answer.

"... How?" was all she could manage, gritting her teeth to prevent her features from contorting into an expression of anger. Fortunately for her, Loki did not notice. She pulled away from his embrace; the loss of warmth chilled him to the core. "What happened?" 

With hesitance, he explained to her the process of his falling out of power and how he was currently involved in a plot of world domination. Joanna listened with an expressionless gaze, occasionally pressing her lips together into a thin line throughout his speech. He grew worried at this notion but continued to explain everything to her with utmost honesty. 

It was done. He had admitted to her that she would not be lavished with the splendor of being queen immediately after agreeing to return to Asgard once the battle with the Avengers was all over, although he promised ardently that they wouldn't even need to return to Asgard after he succeeded in enslaving Midgard and crowning himself its ruler. 

Joanna started to laugh. To his relief, Loki could tell that it was an amused one.

"Did you really think that I would leave you just because you weren't king?" she asked incredulously. "You may be a cold-hearted trickster, but never doubt that our daughter and I both love you."

She pulled him into a tight hug which Loki relaxed into with relief, his love for her blinding him from noticing the stiffness in her tone.

"I love you and our Frances more than life - more than power, for possessing it means nothing if you are not there to rule by my side", Loki whispered as he caressed Joanna's cheek with all the love he could pour into one single action.

"And I, you." replied Joanna. He leaned in close, so close she could feel his soft breath on her face and feel the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat coursing through her body. Their lips met, and he was utterly devoted to her.

 

_"Thor, thank god you're answering my call. Took me forever to find a way to contact you!"_

_"Greetings, Lady Joanna. How do you fare?"_

_"... Not so well. Which is what I need to talk to you about."_

_"I do not mean to sound impolite, but I am quite busy with a major task at hand involving Loki, as you should know from Midgardian programs broadcasting global events."_

_"I understand that, but I really need your help. It's about Lo-"_

_"-What about him?!"_

_"He's found me... a-and he won't leave me alone! I tried to tell him that I wanted him out of my life but he keeps coming back!"_

_"Lady Joanna, please do your best to remain calm, what did he do to you? Did he abuse you in any way?"_

_"... Well, h-h-he, um-"_

_"I can help you, Joanna, and in turn your information may prove useful to S.H.E.I.L.D. in assisting our search for my br- **Loki**. Just tell me what he did."_

_"..."_

_"..."_

_"He - he tried to... he tried to_ _**rape** _ _me, and when I struggled he hit me - but he's never done that to me before, I swear! He's always been so kind to me!"_

_"Joanna, you have to understand that the Loki you once knew no longer exists. It was more difficult than I could have imagined, but I have now come to terms with the fact that my brother is no longer **there**. The Loki I grew up with would never hurt the woman he loves, and the harassment he has inflicted upon you is inexcusable. He must be imprisoned - for the good of humanity, and for the good of Asgard. Now tell me truthfully, Joanna, where is Loki?"_

_"I don't know, he left a while ago and didn't tell me where he was going. He said he wasn't gonna return until he had defeated the Avengers and was King of Midgard - he really scared me."_

_"If you see him anywhere, tell us where you are immediately."_

_"Okay. I'm living in New Jersey with my sister, in case you needed to know."_

_"'New Jersey'... anyway, thank you for informing me about this. How may I help you in return?"_

_"I - want to escape him. And I think the only way to do that is for him to think I'm dead."_

_"I could ask Agent Coulson to arrange that for you, but even if Loki is successfully fooled, as long as you remain in Midgard he will be able to find you."_

_"Which is why I plan to leave for another realm. If you can sneak me into Asgard, I'll be able to get the things I need to travel to another realm. Loki taught me how to travel through realms about a year and a half ago."_

_"That... can be arranged. I shall acquire the help of Sif and the Warriors in this task. They would be happy to help you in this endeavor since you have treated them all with kindness in the past."_

_"Oh, Thor! Thank you so much! But please don't tell Loki about this phone call when you find him... I know he still cares about me and he'll get hurt-"_

_"Lady Joanna, a strong maiden like you deserves so much more than such a vile man of lies."_

_"I, um - one last thing. I'll tell Jane you love her."_

_"... Thank you. Goodnight, Joanna."_

_"'Night, Thor."_

She smiled slyly as she hung up, almost ready to laugh at how easily the stupid oaf had fallen for her lies. Loki had truly been right about Thor's level of intelligence.

She could not remain with Loki any longer, and neither could Fanny. They wouldn't be completely safe from harm if Loki wasn't king, so why put her faith and the sake of her daughter into Loki's hands? If he failed to enslave the earth, what would become of her and Fanny?

The decision she made was final and nothing could change it. She would travel to another realm in search of a king who was capable of providing Fanny security and riches, then seduce him until he would gladly die for her. Yes, this was the path she would choose to live for the sale of her daughter, for there was nothing she cared about more than Frances, her beloved child.

 

They fell into the dirt, landing roughly after leaping through a portal conjured from various magic spells. It took her many attempts to successfully complete the spell and travel to another realm which was unknown to her. The portal gurgled violently, then disappeared in a pale flicker of fluorescent blue light. 

Holding Fanny close to her chest she observed their surroundings. They appeared to be in a vast forest which grew menacing trees left and right, and had shadows lurking in every dark corner. Auburn leaves rustled in the wind, painting the ground a strange reddish hue. They were the only things that did not appear threatening in the woods.

Suddenly, she heard voices and the sound of hooves approaching her location, causing her to scramble into the darkness to no avail. Attempting to hide while cradling a child was difficult, as Fanny began to cry loudly.

"Who goes there?" came a gruff, alert voice from behind her. It was low and harsh. She turned around cautiously, holding her daughter protectively to her breast and was met with the sight of a man with visibly chiseled features beneath a dark beard that unusually large for a man of her era to be sporting. Small braids could be found amidst the dark bushes of his facial hair that caused his whole person seem somewhat shorter in comparison to the horse he was sat atop. Their eyes met, and she could immediately see that his eyes were a curious shade of blue.

"Who are you?!" he asked, as though she was a great disturbance to him.

"My name is Cora, and this is my daughter, Ingrid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment or just a kudos if you liked it. Next chapter comes out in about a month!

**Author's Note:**

> I worked super duper hard on this so I hope you liked it! I really wanted a change to something more exciting, so, I really hope you enjoyed it! Feedback and kudos are appreciated!


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